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mtcwby t1_j0zg77e wrote

Not being alone is a huge thing. A friend's MIL lived alone for years and she had lots of interactions with her family, etc but was obviously losing her memory. She finally went to a retirement community and it was pretty amazing how much her memory improved.

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A_Drusas t1_j11e727 wrote

Exactly. I'm sure this has nothing to do with being married and everything to do with having a partner/not being alone.

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2017hayden t1_j13su29 wrote

Exactly, having something worth remembering plays a huge roll. When you’re alone most of the time and everyday feels the same your mind is likely to see most things as useless information.

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uasoil123 t1_j0ytmgu wrote

That seems like humans that are social animals needing social interactions vs just being married

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_Blackstar t1_j0yvavg wrote

Go spend more time with your parents, especially if they're widowed? Got it!

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Robot-Candy t1_j1066xy wrote

Agreed. Social interaction isn’t only being married, but marriage gets pushed pretty hard anyway. Quick everyone get married or you’ll go insane!

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iceyed913 t1_j12v9p5 wrote

It's not like the research could have picked up that those with predementia and or other health factors predisposing to cognitive decline in middle age are likelier to end up unmarried. Loneliness is horrible, but given the right cognitive functioning it should not even occur in the first place.

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magloo999 t1_j11o9gb wrote

yeah definitely more so about having community and engagement than about marital status. but i’m sure marital status can impact one’s opportunities for socializing in old age

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[deleted] t1_j10tm76 wrote

[deleted]

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Elwood_Blues_Gold t1_j1284q5 wrote

This is actually a big plus. The cognitive aspect of arguing is good brain exercise!

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[deleted] t1_j13ak32 wrote

This is why I’m on Reddit

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Lepurten t1_j13g3or wrote

What did you gain? Protection from dementia! What did it cost? Everything.

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DNA2020 t1_j0zr29u wrote

Or people with unhealthy brains get divorced more often?

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keylimedragon t1_j1064wg wrote

Yeah, the study also mentions this as a possible factor:

"Moreover, healthier persons are more likely to marry, while less healthy individuals are more likely to either remain single or become separated, divorced, or widowed"

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StankoMicin t1_j114eao wrote

Seems like a potential defamation and pathologization of a whole group of people though.

Deciding to get and stay married does not necessarily mean one is more healthy..

Likewise, getting divorced does not mean someone has an unhealthy brain..

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DNA2020 t1_j11616l wrote

I’ll wait for more data to decide.

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IAreAEngineer t1_j1138e4 wrote

My MIL seemed so much worse after FIL died. But part of that is that they covered for each other -- both of their memories were failing, but between the 2 of them, they could keep track of things better.

My grandmother did well for quite a long time after my grandfather died, but she was living with her son (my uncle). She taught me card games and trounced me regularly. When her health declined to the point where she needed to go into assisted living/nursing home, her mental state deteriorated quickly.

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Wagamaga OP t1_j0ymmjn wrote

This finding comes from a study by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) (link in Norwegian).

Previous studies suggest that being married later in life protects against dementia, and that being single in old age increases the risk of dementia. The new results support this.

“There's a correlation between being married in midlife and a lower risk of dementia as an elderly person. Our data also shows that divorced people account for a significant proportion of dementia cases,” the first author of the study, Vegard Skirbekk says. He is a senior researcher at the Department of Physical Health and Ageing and the Centre for Fertility and Health at the NIPH.

The researcher’s starting point was looking at the marital status of 8,706 adults in the age group 44-68 who were registered in various Norwegian national registers. They then saw how many of these developed dementia after the age of 70.

One explanation for the lower risk of dementia among married people may be that marriage is an important source of social contact.

“In several studies, it has been shown that social isolation is related to an increased risk of dementia. Marriage has also been shown to be a particularly important protective factor against dementia for men. However, in our study marriage was equally important for both men and women,” Skirbekk says.

The increased risk of dementia for unmarried people could largely be attributed to childlessness.

https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/AMG4ZUJHMMEFDKDGRIMU/full

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MikeTheGamer2 t1_j11jirk wrote

>The increased risk of dementia for unmarried people could largely be attributed to childlessness.

Still not having kids. Thanks researchers.

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kimchidijon t1_j12puk3 wrote

I’m pretty sure I read a study recently that claimed stress increases dementia risk. Kids=stress

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puddleglump86 t1_j12syop wrote

Maybe young kids but by the time they get older its alot less stress.

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kimchidijon t1_j12tb07 wrote

I think it depends, I caused my parents tons of stress until I hit my late 20’s due to my health issues and anxiety disorder. Never know what situation your child will be in.

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puddleglump86 t1_j12vlev wrote

True though my sister had alot of health issues but my parents had little to no anxitey but thats also just thier personality. They arent very stressed out people.

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AduroMelior t1_j10265t wrote

They've found correlation and support this with studies finding that isolation has harmful effects.

I think it would be much stronger to conclude that the traits which cause a person to be capable of and want a long-term marriage are healthy traits which reduce dementia.

Here's my personal takeaway... You know the least helpful, most anti-social, least interested in long term commitments, and least healthy people in the world? A lot of them aren't married and don't have children! People like this also develop dementia! Why do they develop dementia? Well, probably some combination of what they are missing because they lack social interaction or because of other traits that lead them not to have much social interaction. We aren't sure which is more impactful.

Anyway, the study doesn't claim causation, and backs up a causal theory using related research. They also use language that implies their theory is only one of many. But in my personal opinion, they are still treating it too much like it's causal data and like they haven't identified other theories or suggested future resources to help create evidence for one theory over another.

To me this raises important questions. Does the benefit to the mind come from social interaction or something specific to marriage? Or something specific to minds that are capable of quality social interaction? Does being in a marriage increase this capability significantly, or does the drop-off in this ability just cause marriages to disintegrate?

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Feudamonia t1_j112p95 wrote

>You know the least helpful, most anti-social, least interested in long term commitments, and least healthy people in the world? A lot of them aren't married and don't have children! People like this also develop dementia!

What's your source for this?

I think this study just shows that lonely & unhappy people are more likely to develop dementia. If a person is content to be alone then I believe this correlation would disappear.

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insaneintheblain t1_j0zknec wrote

"If you are lonely when you're alone, you are in bad company." - Jean-Paul Sartre

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[deleted] t1_j113ukm wrote

Well, I’m separated from my husband and about to get a divorce.

I guess having a perpetual argument partner is a good thing?

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StankoMicin t1_j115hpc wrote

The study seems to use more nonobjective language than the headline but the main benefit seems to be from have more stable social connections versus isolation. It doesn't state the being married has unique benefits over staying single of that makes one happier.

However, people will draw their own conclusions based on their experiences and preferences..

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puddleglump86 t1_j12suuy wrote

Not all marriges have to be that way. There is awlays a compatible person out there you just gotta find em. good luck in your future endeavours

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Ashleynewman7 t1_j0yn9je wrote

Ehhh I work on a gero psych unit mainly dementia patients- once in a blue moon a patient was single their entire life, the rest are married.

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abrandis t1_j0yva7p wrote

Agree, work In a nursing home most dementia patients are married or windowed .. I don't think dementia discriminates against marital status

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Draemeth t1_j0zhpzw wrote

That’s anecdotal tho

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Ashleynewman7 t1_j0znxnm wrote

Very true! This is just my experience. I’m curious to see this study done with couples in the states.

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StankoMicin t1_j114yzi wrote

True. But I am a nurse and most dementia patients i take care of are also married. A few widowed, but most are not lifelong singles

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squidking78 t1_j0zs46l wrote

So the moral of the story is, don’t get married until you’re a senior! ( saves on all those divorce fees and alimony payments too )

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cmparkerson t1_j116o2k wrote

Yet, there are still millions of people who are married to people with dementia. It can be very hard too. It can even happen to people who arent that old.

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Kurotan t1_j108zgq wrote

Okay, but I don't really have a choice to get married or not. That takes two people. And going out. I'm not dating at work.

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bglargl t1_j10pkae wrote

afaik there's also studies on how having pets prevents dementia, so maybe thats your way out ;)

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Kurotan t1_j10pr2f wrote

Maybe, I like cats and wouldbt mind having one, but I'm not shoving a pet into my tiny one bedroom apartment. I feel like that would be cruel.

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bglargl t1_j10qry8 wrote

well then maybe it's time to dig into dementia-friendly gardening

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AlastorNEO t1_j112tw9 wrote

Research shows I peed myself before I was potty trained

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Fruitboots t1_j106aus wrote

I wonder if pet ownership has an effect on this.

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AtominFlux t1_j122gdg wrote

Damn straight. My wife won’t let me forgot anything from the past and she sure as hell won’t either.

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ABreckenridge t1_j112ben wrote

Humans are evolved to be a social species. Being around other people is good for you. Being away from people is bad for you.

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HealthGent t1_j122vd2 wrote

We are social animals (whether we like it or not, and on most days, not.)

I need to read the study. My observations is that It’s not being single, but the key variable should be being alone. Some seniors work hard to maintain quite active social lives. They seem healthier than many married folks.

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Nomore_crazy t1_j0z2qvw wrote

So we are gonna have a larger genz and millennial population of dementia..

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Kat121 t1_j10gaqb wrote

That is a shame because I’d be nuts to try dating again.

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ffoott t1_j12b9pt wrote

Because they develop it sooner?

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Ancalimei t1_j12k4tl wrote

If only I had hope that I wouldn't be alone for the rest of my life. At 39, my options are limited.

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sad_asian_noodle t1_j12ny5u wrote

Can't afford to forget if you need to remember to tell the other person it's their turn to do xyz chore.

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flippydifloop t1_j12o6oh wrote

my parents are still together, the relationship was never actually a good one. theyre in their 60/70s and they both are going crazy sooo…..

on the other hand my aunt is divorced but lives with her son whos married with kids. she started to loose her mind here and there and when they put her in a home she seems to be doing much better sooo…

… i have no idea what goes on in people’s brain

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ruddy3499 t1_j12pjkw wrote

It’s got to be all the time taking to yourself

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Remote-Telephone-682 t1_j12z62z wrote

So the research agrees with the Previous studies? Kinda a weird way to phrase this.

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Snowwh1t3 t1_j130rkt wrote

And yet both sets of my grandparents were married for 50 years and ended up with dementia in 3 of 4 of my grandparents

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Theedon t1_j134e6n wrote

What stops me from wanting to pass a bullet through my brain in my 80s?

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Meetballed t1_j1366ly wrote

I would suggest it’s not just about social interaction. I think it is having someone to think about daily and sharing a life with which makes a big difference in how our brain works and is exercised.

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Beavertoni t1_j1371um wrote

Lot of millennial cat ladies going crazy in 35 years.

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ThisisthewayLA t1_j139obk wrote

They don’t even know what causes dementia yet. This is some wild speculation. I’ve only seen married people who got dementia and know a bunch of single old people who didn’t. So who paid for this study and what is their agenda? I bet it’s the same people who give people crap about not wanting kids.

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[deleted] t1_j101vk7 wrote

Unfortunately young women these days don’t want marriage they wanna spend the prime of their lives 18-29 getting laid, doing drugs, living degenerate lives etc. It is only when they’re used up and not in their prime anymore that they wanna settle down

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pornplz22526 t1_j10x0ml wrote

Why complain about women you aren't compatible with instead of finding some who you are?

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theCracksOfLight t1_j13jcyu wrote

Multiple studies have demonstrated that both young women and men these days are having sex, drinking, and doing drugs less frequently than previous generations. Have you considered not blindly believing takes on the internet just because they affirm your personal biases? Do some inner work

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